And Now For Something Completely Familiar: Monty Python Reunites! [Video]

For the first time in 35 years, the comedy troupe Monty Python performed live.

Of course, they were missing a member who had passed on, but the bits were comforting in their familiarity.

When a friend of mine turned me on to "Monty Python's Flying Circus", I was in the eighth grade, and it was the funniest thing I had ever seen. The combined talents of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, gave birth to a new ideas of sketch comedy, including at hard look at politics and social mores.

Soon, we were re-creating bits like "The Dead Parrot" in the classroom, much to the chagrin of Sister Magdalena.

Last week, they returned to the stage for their Monty Python Live (mostly) tour at London's O2 Arena, to mixed reviews.

They will do five more shows beginning on July 15, and the final show on July 20 will be broadcast to 1800 theaters around the world (although sadly, it doesn't look like anyone in Grand Rapids will be showing it).

The biggest gripe from critics was that Python hasn't updated much of their live material, but to the long time Python fan, that is probably a good thing. While much of the Python catalog has been uploaded to their YouTube page, many live bits haven't seen the light of day and 35 years, and that old familiarity may be why the shows sold out so quickly.

So here's to the Spanish Inquisition, the Lumberjack Song, and to ten nights by the old boys at the O2. Good to have you back, if even for only for a brief fling!